Returning to one of the best European "Czech Open" tournaments in Pardubitza town, I want to offer readers of the site a photo-report. A number of photos were published in №29 of "The Chess Week" in an article "Sun air and beer" by Andrey Devyatkin. The last (element), to say the truth, does not contribute at all to playing chess, but undoubtedly it adds colour and impression to the trip. Both Andrey and E.Naer wrote everything quite right in №8 of "64-chess review".
The organizers offer chessplayers regular class tournaments, one must recognize: strong tournaments. This year, to say the truth, the main tournament was on the whole weaker than the past year's. Victor Volodin whom I know many years already wrote about the Pardubitza festival and other Czech tournaments (№34, "The Chess Week") as well. One must say in a very free style. But more detailed and objective than others was unfading Ratmir Kholmov, №31 of the same "Chess Week". He needs not be represented to anyone. Answers to some questions, for example, E.Naer's about ventilation in the tournament hall was given me by tournament director Dr. Jan Mazuh three years ago in an interview for, alas, dead site of "WCR".
Why do they write so much about this tournament? I don't think that mercantile reasons alone occur here. In reality, the organizers found what most chessplayers and their accompanying persons needed. It is skilful combination of the interests of chessplayers and those of organizers and their unconditional execution of the duties with Czech punctuality which is not a bit inferior to German.
Here it seems a principal thing.

The friendly game between tournament director Dr.Jan Mazuch and famous
Czech hokkey goolkeeper D.Gashek. To the right - I.Petruzhalek, the main manager
of "Czech Open" festival.

Cup of "Czech open-2004" among chess jounalist is won Sergey Bystrov. On photo -
S.Bystrov and Ja.Mazuch.

I have played in three tournaments at this festival. In the main Open I have played unsuccessfully what is immediately discussed on one of the sites which is "catching black things" for popularity. And the site has distinguished itself on that topic as well which is informing of chess news, in the main, in a telegraph style... It is evidently in revenge for my refusal to exchange banners with them. Editor of that site for long professes a principle: "who is not with us, is against us". Well, nothing can be done, one must recognize 'three points' in the main tournament, thereby without victories, it is somewhat little. I don't want to analyze such "an achievement" publicly. Whatever it were it is mine, first of all. There was no such a thing formerly in any Open, whatever. I have had chess eventualities together more points. But other two performances; 6.5 points in "G" Open, rapid chess, and nine out of eleven in a blitz-tournament among journalists (three International masters participating therein) cannot be named weak. So it happens at ours, the proverb is still working: "Good lies under a threshold and Bad..." Degradation, cowardliness, indifference, and a desire also to gossip (in the main, anonymously) about somebody else's slips appear all the more in the chess world. But it is enough of trustful one. I had played. I had chess eventualities to gather...